Alocasia plant named ‘AARALZE001’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Alocasia  plant named ‘AARALZE001’, characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly arching and uniform plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; moderately rapid growth rate; dark green-colored leaves; and greyed green-colored petioles that are transversely marked with dark greyed green to black-colored marbling.

Botanical designation: Alocasia zebrina.

Cultivar denomination: ‘AARALZE001’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Alocasiaplant, botanically known as Alocasia zebrina, common referred to asElephant's Ear Plant and hereinafter referred to by the name‘AARALZE001’.

The new Alocasia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofan unnamed selection of Alocasia zebrina, not patented. The new Alocasiaplant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in November, 2015 as asingle plant within a population of plants of the mutation parentselection in a controlled greenhouse environment in Aarlanderveen, TheNetherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Alocasia plant by vegetative cuttings ina controlled greenhouse environment in Aarlanderveen, The Netherlandssince June, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Alocasiaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generationsof asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Alocasia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘AARALZE001’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘AARALZE001’ as a new and distinct Alocasiaplant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to outwardly arching and uniform plant        habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Moderately rapid growth rate.    -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   5. Greyed green-colored petioles that are transversely marked        with dark greyed green to black-colored marbling.

Plants of the new Alocasia differ primarily from plants of the mutationparent selection in plant habit as plants of the new Alocasia are muchmore compact than plants of the mutation parent selection.

Plants of the new Alocasia can be compared to plants of Alocasia zebrina‘Reticulata’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons plants of thenew Alocasia differ primarily from plants of ‘Reticulata’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Alocasia are shorter and broader        than leaves of plants of ‘Reticulata’.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Alocasia are solid green in color        whereas leaves of plants of ‘Reticulata’ are variegated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Alocasia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Alocasia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical plant of ‘AARALZE001’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical leafpetioles of ‘AARALZE001’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in 14-cm containers in Aarlanderveen,The Netherlands during the winter in a glass-covered greenhouse. Plantswere grown under environmental conditions and cultural practices whichapproximate those generally used in commercial Alocasia production.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C.to 28° C. and night temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 22° C. Plantswere six months from planting when the photographs and the detaileddescription were taken. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Alocasia zebrina ‘AARALZE001’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of an unnamed    selection of Alocasia zebrina, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 21 days at            temperatures about 20° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 31 days at            temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 140 days            at temperatures about 22° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant roots, winter.—About            200 days at temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness to thick, fleshy;            typically white to light brown in color, actual color of the            roots dependent on substrate composition, water quality,            fertilizer, substrate temperature and age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Low branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright to outwardly            arching and uniform plant habit; moderately vigorous growth            habit and moderately rapid growth rate.        -   Plant height, from soil level to top of leaf plane.—About            27.4 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 26.4 cm.        -   Clumping habit.—Plants of the new Alocasia are not freely            clumping with typically a single clump developing per            container.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.        -   Length.—About 17.9 cm.        -   Width.—About 9.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Triangular.        -   Apex.—Apiculate.        -   Base.—Hastate to sagittate.        -   Margin.—Entire; moderately undulate.        -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous;            slightly glossy.        -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous;            moderately glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Darker than between            NN137A and 139A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to            between 147B and 191B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to between NN137A and 147A; venation, close to between            139A and 147A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 138A to 138B; venation, close to 138B to 138C.        -   Petioles.—Aspect: Mostly erect, outwardly arching with            development. Length: About 20.4 cm. Diameter, distal: About            4 mm. Diameter, mid-section: About 6 cm. Diameter,            proximally: About 9 cm. Strength: Moderately strong;            flexible. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; slightly            glossy. Color: Ground color, close to 196A to 196B;            transversely marbled with close to between N189A and 203C.            Wing length: About 7.9 cm. Wing diameter, base: About            3.5 mm. Wing color, inner and outer surfaces: Ground color,            close to 196A to 196B; transversely marbled with close to            between N189A and 203C.-   Inflorescence description: Inflorescence development has not been    observed on plants of the new Alocasia to date.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Alocasia have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Alocasia to    date.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Alocasia have been observed    to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C.    and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 11 to 13.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Alocasia plant named ‘AARALZE001’as illustrated and described.